Not what I am used to

Last weekend marked a few firsts for me in my big city adventure. It was the first time I went out on the town, and the first time I attempted to cook a meal that required a recipe in NYC.

When we ventured out to enjoy the city’s nightlife, we decided to check out the Murray Hill location, because this is where a few New Yorkers informed us would be bustling with folks our age. Although our neighborhood is only about 30 blocks north of this area, we noticed an immediate demographic change when we hopped off the bus. The streets were lit well and many yuppies were dressed up ready to party. We met up with one of Alex’s coworkers there before heading to the bar, Arlo and Esme.

When we arrived at the bar, the bouncer notified us that it would be a two-hour wait to get inside. I believe he did this to every group to deter overcrowding in the bar. Anyways, we stepped aside to wait, and within five minutes he came over and told us it would be ok for us to come inside. I immediately understood his reasoning when going inside, as the bar was overflowing with people. The cover was only $5, and the old-fashioned aesthetic of the place was neat because it looked like a century-old house turned bar. The prices of drinks were not that neat. I am used to the Indiana college town specials like 15 cent pints, so you can imagine my surprise when I was charged $20 for two vodka tonics. Next time, more pre-drinking will ensue before heading out.

Making pasta salad seems like an easy task, but not when every grocery is local and therefore does not sell the ingredients you are used to. The first ingredient I needed was Zesty Italian dressing. Not there. They had Robust Italian and regular Italian, but no Zesty. Fail number one. The second ingredient was salad seasoning. I am used to the spices being located in alphabetical order in the spice aisle. This grocery store arranges their spices around the store next to items they believe you will need them with. So, after a long search I found the seasoning by the vegetables and of course it wasn’t the type I usually use. When making the salad lacking the two main ingredients, it definitely did not taste the same. I will need to get used to the brands and types of foods these groceries sell before my next cooking attempt.

Learning the style may take a while.